Nanaimo Bars

The Legendary Nanaimo Bar

This creamy, chocolatey treat's origin is elusive, shrouded in mystery, and claimed by many as their own. Of course, we know that Nanaimo Bars originated in Nanaimo, or they would be called New York Bars, or New Brunswick Bars.

If you're interested in the facts and fables of this slice of heaven, you can read all the conjecture on Wikipedia about Nanaimo Bars. If you actually own or know the whereabouts of a cookbook or other publication dating back to the early 50s or beyond, we would very much like to see it and put an end to all this confusion with documented proof.

In 1986, Nanaimo Mayor Graeme Roberts, in conjunction with Harbour Park Mall, initiated a contest to find the ultimate Nanaimo Bar Recipe. During the four-week long contest, almost 100 different variations of the famous confection were submitted. The winner: Joyce Hardcastle.

Nanaimo Bar Trail...

We've put together a Nanaimo Bar Trail brochure and map to guide you to all the locations and varieties of Nanaimo Bar you can find here. Warning: do not try to eat one from every source on the same day - may lead to overbliss.